Equestrian property is a market driven by enthusiasts, combining a love of horses, land management and rural entrepreneurship. Whether you are a professional looking to expand your business or an investor seeking a unique living environment, acquiring an equestrian property requires specific expertise, which our buying guides will help you to master.
France is truly horse country, with a centuries-old equestrian tradition and a dynamic industry. With nearly 700,000 members of the Fédération Française d'Équitation (FFE), horse riding regularly ranks among the top sports in terms of participation in France. This vitality is reflected in an active and diversified property market. Whether you are interested in publishing an advert or in creating alerts so you don’t miss any opportunities, our portal meets your needs. On ma-propriete.fr, the Equestrian centre for sale - Buy a riding centre category brings together a wide range of properties, from small family-run pony clubs to large international competition yards.
For a property to be suitable for a sustainable equestrian activity, it must offer specific and functional facilities. The heart of the set‑up is usually the horses’ living areas. These generally include traditional stables or modern American barns, housing spacious boxes for the comfort of the horses and ponies. For group housing, loose housing is also a popular solution, encouraging social interaction between the equines.
Beyond accommodation, the working facilities are key. An outdoor arena is essential for everyday work. Increasingly, buyers are looking for high‑quality fiber‑sand footing, ensuring optimum drainage and protecting horses’ tendons during training or competitions. To guarantee activity throughout the year, whatever the weather, the presence of an indoor school is a major asset, and even indispensable in some regions.
Additional infrastructure often makes the difference when selling. A lunging ring for groundwork, an automatic horse walker for fitness, or even a gallop track for conditioning work are highly sought‑after facilities for professionals. For horse care, a functional grooming area and a horse wash bay are necessary. Storage is also crucial: a large storage barn is vital for protecting hay, straw and farm equipment from damp.
The “welcoming the public” aspect also requires dedicated facilities. A friendly club‑house allows riders and parents to be received in comfort, while a secure tack room is essential for storing equipment.
Finally, the outdoor environment is crucial. The presence of adjoining land makes it possible to create paddocks for daily turnout and fields for grazing, all secured with suitable fencing (wood, electric tape, rails). In many cases, the property includes a main residence for the owners, and sometimes a staff accommodation for a groom or employed instructor.
Geographically, while opportunities exist throughout the country, certain regions such as Normandy (a renowned breeding area), Pays de la Loire or Île‑de‑France (for its proximity to clients) have a particularly high concentration of listings.
Embarking on the purchase of an equestrian property is often a once‑in‑a‑lifetime project, whether it is a professional investment or a personal change of direction. Several criteria should guide your thinking to ensure the success of your project.
First, define the nature of your project precisely. Is it a purely commercial activity? If so, what is your business model? The profitability of a riding centre often relies on diversification: riding lessons, livery (stabled or at grass), training and dealing, or breeding. Each activity requires suitable infrastructure. For example, a high‑end owners’ yard will need top‑class facilities (perfect footing, large boxes, premium services), while a pony club will focus more on safety, friendliness and capacity (many ponies, a welcoming club‑house).
Location is a strategic criterion, particularly for a commercial yard. Proximity to an urban catchment area, good road access and the absence of direct competition within the catchment zone are key factors for attracting a clientele of riders.
From a technical standpoint, inspect the condition of the existing buildings. Are the field shelters in good condition? Is the roof of the indoor school recent? Are the watering systems and electrical installations compliant with current standards? Renovating a run‑down facility can sometimes cost more than building from scratch. Also check the quality of the pasture soils (pedology): land that is too wet can become unusable in winter without expensive improvements.
Financing is a crucial step. Banks generally require a substantial personal contribution and a solid business plan demonstrating the economic viability of the operation. Don’t forget to take into account additional costs (notary, SAFER) and running costs (maintenance of surfaces, overheads, feed).
To help you find that rare gem, ma-propriete.fr has developed powerful tools tailored to rural property. Our advanced search engine allows you to filter listings precisely. You can select the sub‑category you are interested in (Stud farm, Riding centre, Owners’ yard, etc.), define your search area (department, region), your budget, as well as the required land area in hectares. This is an essential criterion for those who need space for grazing or forage production.
Because the market moves quickly, we offer you the option of creating personalised email alerts. As soon as a property matching your criteria (for example: “yard with indoor school in Brittany”) goes online, you are informed immediately.
Our portal also stands out for the diversity of its advertisers. On the same site, you will find listings from property professionals (specialist agencies, notaries) and private sellers. This comprehensive approach gives you a complete picture of the market. In addition, the geolocation of listings (depending on the seller’s choice) allows you to locate the properties and assess their immediate surroundings (proximity to towns, forests or main roads).
Finally, making contact is straightforward: each listing has a contact form or a telephone number so you can get in touch directly with the seller or the agent handling the file.
Selling an equestrian property means targeting a qualified audience. By publishing your advert on ma-propriete.fr, you benefit from the visibility of a leading portal in the rural property market, attracting each month a large number of targeted visitors specifically looking for unusual, agricultural or leisure properties.
Our strength lies in our knowledge of the rural market and buyers’ expectations. We know how to highlight your property’s assets, whether it is the quality of the tack room, the practicality of the boxes or the charm of the house. The user‑friendly nature of our advert‑submission interface allows you to create an attractive presentation in just a few minutes, with high‑definition photos and a detailed description.
We also understand that discretion is sometimes necessary when selling a going concern. This is why ma-propriete.fr gives you control over the level of geolocation shown in your advert. You can choose to display the exact location, the municipality, or simply the department, so that you can manage confidentiality with regard to your clients or competitors.
To maximise your chances of selling, your advert can be published simultaneously in several relevant categories (for example “Equestrian property” and “Prestige property” if appropriate). In addition, we actively share listings on our social networks, particularly on specialist Facebook groups, thereby reaching an even wider community of enthusiasts.
Beyond simply publishing listings, ma-propriete.fr positions itself as a true partner in your rural property project thanks to a range of complementary services:
Whether you are a seller or a buyer, ma-propriete.fr is the essential tool for bringing your equestrian project to life in the best possible conditions.
